The present invention pertains to a protective mask adapted to be worn by persons engaging in physical games.
Protective masks are typically used in an environment in which flying objects or projectiles may be present. An example of such an environment is in the game of paint ball projectiles which are impacted onto players in order to display a hit. In order to protect the player""s eyes, a lens assembly is used in association with a face mask in order to fully cover the front face and the sides of a player""s head. The lens is preferably removable so that it can be easily replaced either for washing or for replacement should it be damaged. The lens is securely mounted to the face mask; however, due to the hard impact of the projectiles, the lens, in some cases, is accidently dislodged or disengaged from its securement to the mask, thus resulting in possible accidents to player during the game.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above described problem of accidental dislodgement of a lens from the face mask. This is achieved by providing an additional anchoring to further secure the inter-engaging sections of the lens and the face mask.
The present invention therefore relates to a protective mask which is adapted to be worn by persons engaging in physical games; it comprises:
a main body formed of rigid plastic material; the body has a configuration to cover the front and sides of a person""s head and includes a first part consisting of a brow portion and opposite side temple portions and a second part consisting of a lens receiving portion, a nose portion, a chin portion and opposite cheek portions; the lens receiving portion defines an opening and includes first engaging means adjacent each opposite side end of the opening;
a removable flexible transparent lens adapted to engagedly cover the opening; the lens has, at each opposite side end, second engaging means adapted to snapingly engage the first engaging means; the lens is flexible in a direction enabling distance variation between the side ends thereof so that manual pressure exerted on the lens causes the lens to snapingly engage with or to disengage from the first engaging means; and
removable anchor means mounted at each opposite side end of the lens receiving portion and insertable at the opposite side ends of the lens to further secure the first and second engaging means together in an engagement position.
In one form of the invention, the removable anchor means are shaped, on the one hand, to fittingly receive the ends of the lens and, on the other hand, with a slot to receive therethrough the strap that serves to mount the mask to the user""s head.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.